HAITI: Josephine, "I won't leave until I point out the rapists to the police"

HAITI: Josephine, "I won't leave until I point out the rapists to the police"

PORT-AU-PRINCE, 9 March 2010 (IRIN) - Josephine*, 17, was living alone on the streets of Port-au-Prince when the earthquake hit. She lost the few belongings she had - mostly clothes. She now stays at the Jean-Marie Vincent camp for displaced families.

She has no family members in the camp. One night around midnight, she told IRIN, she was looking for somewhere to sleep when two young men - one with a machete, the other with a wooden club - grabbed her.

"They came towards me and then I realized there were four others with them. They dragged me into a tent. They held my mouth closed and blindfolded me. They took off my underwear. I was on the ground and one by one they raped me.

"Each time I tried to scream they pressed even harder on my mouth. They hit me.

"At about 2am they put me outside. A young man found me and helped me find somewhere to go.

"Now whenever I see the youths who raped me they whisper and point at me. I avoid walking by the tent where they did this.

"I want to leave this camp but before that I want to have these men arrested. The day I see policemen in the camp I will bring them to where these men live. I know about bringing people to justice because in cases of violence in my neighbourhood I have seen police come and arrest people.

"I used to go to church but I no longer go because I don't have nice clothes to wear. I miss it a lot but one must look nice to go to church."

* Not her real name

np/cra/mw

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